Aggies, Adams loom large for Tech

David Just

Wednesday

Feb 10, 2010 at 11:47 AM

Danielle Adams made her first Big 12 Conference start on Jan. 23, when Texas A&M squared off with Texas Tech for the first time this season.

It turned out to be a good decision by Aggies coach Gary Blair, who watched in amazement as the 6-foot-1 center poured in 27 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 10 shots in 35 minutes for her first career triple-double. Adams led A&M to a 69-54 victory in College Station.

That loss was the second of Tech's current six-game skid, which is the second-longest losing streak in program history.

The Lady Raiders (13-9, 1-7 in Big 12) will look to get back on track at 7 p.m. today against the No. 13 Aggies (16-5, 4-4) at United Spirit Arena.

Despite the career performance by Adams, Tech coach Kristy Curry was complimentary of the way Kierra Mallard held her ground defensively. But Mallard is indefinitely suspended with no time frame on a return, so it will be up to Jordan Barncastle and Marissa Ashton to defend Adams.

"Everybody's had a lot of trouble defending (Adams)," Curry said. "But I think you've got to minimize and you've got to keep her at her average; you can't let her get 27. We did everything necessary except the first four minutes. The transition defense was poor in the first four minutes and it took us a minute to go, 'Whoa.' "

Curry said the Aggies might have their deepest, most talented team under Blair, and added that focusing too much on Adams could open the door for A&M's other scoring threats.

Blair knows that Tech is a different animal at home than it is on the road. The Lady Raiders are shooting 43 percent from the field at home versus 33 percent on the road. Jordan Murphree averages 21 points at home and three on the road.

Tech defeated the Aggies 60-53 at home last season.

Unlike Tech's loss to No. 17 Texas on Sunday, when the Longhorns fired 22 three-pointers, the Lady Raiders can expect to be tested in the post.

"I don't know if (the suspension is) going to last or not, but we'll prepare for her," Blair said of Mallard during his weekly news conference. "But that means they're going be very young inside, and what we've got to do is take advantage of that instead of just relying on jump shots, whether it's a zone or a man."

Tech senior forward Ashlee Roberson said the Lady Raiders will be playing Adams straight up and applying double teams whenever possible.

"We'll body up with her and match her intensity," Roberson said. "She's a great player; you got to give credit to her. She's a great shooter, put a hand in her face and box her out on rebounds."

A loss to A&M would tie Tech's worst on-court losing streak of seven in a row, which happened during the 1978-79 season. Tech was forced to forfeit six of its victories that season due to the use of an ineligible player, so the Lady Raiders actually started that season on an 18-game losing streak.